Chapter 143: The First Appearance of a Spirit Artifact

Seeing Che Wuyou staring at him with a dazed look, seemingly unaware of how important divination techniques were, Yun Fan could not help but continue, "There are many kinds of cultivation methods in the realm of immortality. Most of them are nothing special and are simply used for cultivation and breaking through realms. However, a small portion of techniques possess other auxiliary functions besides boosting one's realm, such as the technique I practice..."

"Such techniques are extremely precious, and the divination technique I practice is the pinnacle among them. If others were to find out that I possess such a technique, they would most likely go to any lengths to seize it. Even the Green Pond Sword Sect probably wouldn't be able to protect me then..."

Yun Fan sighed and said, "It was my carelessness. I promised my mother that I would never display my technique in front of anyone. But I was injured too badly this time, and my mind wasn't reacting properly. I only thought that entering the third floor of the Tower to the Heavens would allow me to avoid the prying eyes of the Green Pond Sword Sect, yet I overlooked you and ended up displaying this technique right before your eyes. Therefore, you must keep this secret for me."

Seeing how serious Yun Fan sounded, Che Wuyou, who had originally harbored doubts about his words, could not help but nod. It made sense; who would casually claim to possess a peerless technique for no reason? If he had known earlier that Yun Fan also had a secret he needed guarded, he shouldn't have compromised so quickly—it was just such a pity about all those treasures.

"Then let's keep each other's secrets." Che Wuyou gazed at Yun Fan and said solemnly, before asking with some lingering concern, "Right, Yun Fan. You mentioned that our actions on the first and second floors were spied upon by the Green Pond Sword Sect. What is that all about?"

Remembering that he had used his 'cinnabar flame' back on the second floor, Che Wuyou felt a knot of anxiety in his chest. He hoped this action hadn't caught the attention of any powerful figures in Green Pond. If they had noticed, he wondered if it would turn out to be a blessing or a curse.

"I don't know about that either. Although I know some divination arts, matters concerning these great figures are beyond my calculation. However, if you have caught the eye of those big shots in Green Pond, it might not necessarily be a bad thing. Who knows, they might even heavily groom you." Seeing Che Wuyou's suspicious yet eager expression, Yun Fan smiled sheepishly and added, "Don't you go thinking my divination arts are omnipotent. Just to divine a single Dragon Whisker Grass, I almost lost half my life. Don't ever ask me to divine such messy trivialities again."

"Fine, let's drop this matter and not speak of it anymore. But you have to tell me why your Faceless Sword didn't display any value. Although I can't quite gauge what level of treasure the Faceless Sword belongs to, its worth is definitely greater than five kilograms of middle-grade elemental stones," Che Wuyou couldn't help asking, knowing that Yun Fan must know something.

"Hehe." Yun Fan was practically drooling as he looked at the Faceless Sword in his hand. "My mother said never to reveal one's trump cards to anyone, but I really want to share this secret with someone, so I'll share it with you... You know what? This Faceless Sword is extraordinary. If I'm not mistaken, it should be a spirit artifact..."

Watching Che Wuyou instantly freeze into a dazed expression, Yun Fan let out a proud, cackling laugh. What Yun Fan enjoyed most was having treasures that others lacked, while watching others drool over his possessions, consumed by envy and shock. But in the past, even this tiny pursuit was hard to satisfy because his mother had warned him that telling anyone his secrets would bring grave danger.

Yet Che Wuyou was different. Che Wuyou already knew one of his most vital secrets, so what harm was there in telling him a few less critical ones? Not only could this satisfy his desire to see Che Wuyou's envious yet unattainable expression, but it also carried no potential danger since Che Wuyou had promised to keep his secret, and furthermore, Che Wuyou had secrets of his own held in his hands... Ah, this feeling was simply wonderful.

Che Wuyou was genuinely shocked by Yun Fan. A 'spirit artifact'? What kind of existence was a 'spirit artifact'? Those were legendary items that even major factions might not necessarily possess, which alone showed how precious they were. Yet Yun Fan casually claimed his Faceless Sword was a 'spirit artifact'—he certainly had a bold imagination...

"You're joking, right? How could that possibly be a spirit artifact? Don't you know the value of a spirit artifact? That is something obtainable only by those with heaven-defying fortune or immense power." Che Wuyou looked at Yun Fan, genuinely tempted to say that even calling the Faceless Sword a top-grade treasured artifact was an exaggeration he had just made up on the spot.

Yet after studying Yun Fan for a long while and seeing the look of utter disdain and contempt on Yun Fan's face, he knew his words had fallen on deaf ears.

After showing his disdain for a moment, Yun Fan puffed out his chest with an arrogant and lofty air and said, "Brother Wuyou, Big Brother Wuyou, don't you think I am someone with heaven-defying fortune? Don't you think I will surely become a tremendously powerful person in the future?"

"Uh..." Che Wuyou was left speechless by Yun Fan's rhetorical questions. He thought about it carefully and had to admit that this guy indeed possessed heaven-defying fortune. As for strength—though Yun Fan currently far surpassed his peers in a monstrous fashion, it couldn't quite be called formidable yet, but Che Wuyou could not deny that Yun Fan would likely become a very powerful individual in the future.

Pondering this, Che Wuyou recalled how Yun Fan had displayed all sorts of unimaginable abilities in finding treasures along their journey. He couldn't help but believe that even if Yun Fan were to acquire a spirit artifact, it seemed almost plausible. Still, spirit artifacts had always been things of legend, and for one to suddenly appear now—and be so close to him—left Che Wuyou feeling somewhat resentful in his heart.

"Hehehe..." Seeing the provoked look in Che Wuyou's eyes, Yun Fan's vanity was immensely gratified. Yes, this was the exact look he wanted to see—a gaze mixed with envy, jealousy, and deep inner imbalance...

"Brother Wuyou, don't feel too bad. To tell you the truth, although my Faceless Sword is a spirit artifact, it has massive problems, which is why its true value cannot be directly displayed. Hehe... If I'm not mistaken, it has either been sealed using some top-secret technique, or it's damaged..."

"Uh..." Che Wuyou was already growing numb. Although he found this theory far-fetched, he accepted it anyway. Who made Yun Fan such an extraordinary character to begin with?

"Alright, let's go. The fourth floor is beckoning to us, hehe, hehe..." Seeing that Che Wuyou was still trapped in shock, Yun Fan naturally hoisted Zhang Qing'er onto his back for Che Wuyou and took the lead, walking forward.

Faintly, Yun Fan's voice continued to drift back: "Brother Wuyou, actually I wanted to share some treasures with you, but you said you didn't want them... I'm telling the truth, don't doubt it. It's just that if I did that now, it might make you break your word... Ah, then I suppose I won't give them to you after all. That truly is the best of both worlds..."

"..." Che Wuyou.